by Carol Buhler
It was hardest on us older ones, who had to move through territories we’d controlled and see the demolished or reclaimed homes we’d once inhabited, the rivers, streams, and rocky outcrops we’d once played on, and the fields we’d once farmed. None of this was ours anymore.
Joele and my other grandkids treated it as a game, albeit a serious one. They didn’t take chances, but happy memories of a past time didn’t trouble them.
As I walked through an older part of Pith, I recalled the beating of Paul’s father and the location of Jeremy Tucker’s hospital. In its place stood an enormous stone building labeled a museum. Curious, I went inside, and was forever glad I had. Only then did I realize some humans had pictures and memorable artifacts that proved our existence. We couldn’t just erase their memories. We had to remove or destroy such physical evidence.
I stifled my panic and followed the man who greeted me and offered to show me around. I relayed to Aarnyon, who would never forget, the articles I saw and cajoled a list of other museums from the helpful man. This one museum had hundreds of items.
“We might have to destroy the whole building.”
“We will if we have to,” Aarnyon said calmly, unperturbed by the enormity of the task I visualized. “Instead of immediately destroying those artifacts, why don’t you work at destroying their authenticity?”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems to me that humans are easily led to believe something via rumors. Look how fast stories of our death made its way all over the continent. Try simply mentioning to one person, and then another, that don and reeth were never real and you don’t believe those things in the museum had anything to do with them.”
I thought it over. Once I focused, I realized almost nothing I’d seen could prove any don or reeth had once owned, used, or worn it, even though the labels said they had. Without the labels, they looked just like things humans owned, used, and wore.
“The pictures?” I asked.
“Say they’ve been faked to make someone lots of money. Humans hate to hear about someone making money in a way they hadn’t thought of.”
“How did you come to that conclusion?”
He tipped his ears my way and snorted. “Joedon, we’ve spent lots of time around humans lately, you touching memories, me standing idly around being invisible. Even though it’s been hectic at times, an intelligent reeth like me listens and humans talk about all kinds of things when they think no one is listening.”
I gaped at him, then figured the number of hours he’d been doing exactly that. Out of sight but in close touch. Listening.
When we got back to Center, I shared what I’d learned and planned a different campaign. Not only would we erase memories, we’d start a misinformation movement to discredit anything relating to don or reeth. Then, sometime in the future, we could physically remove the evidence, after it was no longer valued by the humans who guarded it.
**
It took the rest of my life to accomplish the goal I’d set—to remove don and reeth from human reality and place us into a world of fantasy that only existed in their children’s stories and tales. It didn’t bother me at all to learn we were used to frighten young ones into good behavior. As long as humans left us alone in our mountains, I was content with what we’d achieved.
Once all had adjusted to the curtailed lifestyle, everyone seemed happy in Center. We spent more time together and got to know families better than we ever had while living with such distance between us on the plains. More than the original mining families took to cutting gems and processing precious metals from the crags and cliffs around us. Others developed productive farms in beautiful valleys with spring-fed creeks supplying plenty of water. And two families started a clandestine trade with human cities, conducting their business while hiding behind illusions.
I often thought about the earlier humans and their envy of our lifestyle. They’d really hate us now, if they saw we enjoy not only our traditional ways, but their products as well.
Korola and I had installed refrigerators throughout the Joe mansion and human plumbing brought us hot water and showers. Electricity generated from the power plant we’d constructed on the upper part of Center River lit our homes; we followed human plans Jol had snatched while destroying reeth pictures to build it. We ate well: grains, fruits and vegetables we grew augmented by things from the plains we couldn’t cultivate in the mountain valleys but traded for. The Wee on the coast established themselves as “human” before being invaded by farmers and business people rather than soldiers and continued to thrive in plain sight. That was indeed fortunate, as our beloved Lareina wine was produced solely by that family.
Unlike my father before me, as I weakened with age I turned more and more duties over to Jol while I basked in the sunshine with Korola surrounded by grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren. Sometimes I chuckled when I thought of what future historians would write about my reign as the Supreme Don—seventy-seven years they’d say. Longer than any of my ancestors, they’d say. They wouldn’t reveal the happiness and indolence of my last ten years as the titular ruler while Jol and his brothers and sisters did all the work.
Others had lived longer than me. I doubted many had lived as hard as I had for the seventy-five years I’d dealt with the humans who’d arrived uninvited and took over my world. It had been a good life.
Afterword by Joedon XIX
I found Father and Mother wrapped in each other’s arms on a couch on the patio. I’d never heard of hom and fym dying together, but they’d managed it. Sending word to Taggert to check on Aarnyon, I knew it was a futile task. He and Benngret would also be dead. That’s the way mind-melds worked. My mind-mate reported the reeth pair spooned together in their quarters.
It was an extremely sad time for us, but he’d prepared us well. We gathered, cried, and then rejoiced at the life of my father, who’d saved us and led us to safety in the Center Mountains.
Taggert and I would try to do as well for our people as he and Aarnyon had.
Glossary
Don: noun, singular or plural. An intelligent species native to Gareeth. Individual don usually develop a telepathic connection, called a mind-meld, with a reeth.
Human: noun, singular. Plural: humans. An intelligent species from Earth that want to colonize Gareeth.
Reeth: noun, singular or plural. An intelligent species native to Gareeth that has wings, can fly, and resembles Earth’s horses. They communicate via telepathy among themselves and with one individual at a time of don or human.
Vocabulary:
Don: singular or plural, any member of the species
Fem: female don
Femm: female don plural
Fym: don wife
Fymm: don wives
Hom: male don, or husband
Homm: male don plural, or husbands
Child: between age 1 and 12
Teenager: between age 13 and 19
Adolescent: between age 20 and 30
Supreme Don: hereditary head of don/reeth city-state
Reeth: singular or plural, any member of the species
Yon: adult male, singular or plural, can also refer to husband or husbands
Mare: adult single female or wife
Mar: adult plural female or wives
Foal: newborn
Colt: male up to 30 years of age
Filly: female up to 30 years of age
Foal: expression used to show surprise
Garador Days of the Week:
Lunday, Twoday, Wedday, Ursday, Fesday, Samday, Domday
Garador Months of the Year:
28 days, 13 months: Janry, Fevry, Mars, Avry, Mays, Junry, Julry, Augry, Sepry, Octry, Novry, Decry, Mers
Reeth Eye color:
Red: alarm, agitation, anger; the brighter the color, the stronger the anger
Purple: worry, concern; the deeper the color, the stronger the fear
Green: calm
Blue: pri
de, happiness
Blue-green: satisfaction
Orange: exasperation
Yellow: inquiry
Rose-brown: guilty, ashamed
Reeth Body Colors:
White: born completely white; usually do not live past teen years; often called Lethal White
Grey: born black or dark brown; body coat greys as they age and they can turn totally white; wings are usually same color as body but can be darker
Brown: born brown and retain same color all their life; entire body is brown like coffee without cream; wings, mane and tail are same as body
Bay: remain the same color all their life; reddish brown to light brown body color; always has black legs up to the knees, black mane and tail, wings may be black or dark brown
Chestnut: remain same color all their life; reddish brown to light brown body color; sometimes has lighter mane and tail; wings same color or lighter than body
Black: remain same color all their life; body, mane, tail, wings black with no white mixed in; may have white markings on lower legs and face.
Palomino: remain same color all their life; body various shades of gold with lighter mane, tail, wings
Members of the Joe Family during this novella
Readers, please note, all don have reeth-mates whether or not they are named in this story. Those don starred below lived in the plains compound with Joedon and Koroladon. Numbers indicate the chapter the character appeared in.
Joedon XVIII, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Aarnyon, Joedon’s mind-mate, 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Koroladon (Korola), Joedon’s fym, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23
Bennget, Korola’s mind-mate, 12, 13
Joldon (Jol)*, Joedon’s son and heir, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23
Taggert, Jol’s mind-mate, 1, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21
Emmadon (Emma), Jol’s fym, 21, 22
Joeledon (Joele), Jol’s son, Joedon’s grandson, 21, 23
Lillaud, Joele’s mind-mate, 21
Koradon* (Kora), Joedon’s first daughter, 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, 14, 15, 17, 21, 22
Gerrele, Kora’s mind-mate, 6
Kardon*, Joedon’s second son, 6, 7, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Pollolf, Kardon’s mind-mate, 19
Josdon*, Joedon’s third son, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Jesidon*, Joedon’s second daughter, 21, 22
Joesidon, Joedon’s oldest half-sister, does not appear by name, 4 son s, 1 daughter, 3 grandsons, 5 granddaughters
Jeniadon, Joedon’s next-oldest half-sister, does not appear by name, 2 sons, 3 daughters, 3 grandsons, 3 granddaughters
Aniadon*, Joedon’s next-oldest half-sister, does not appear by name, 3 sons, 1 daughter, 5 grandsons, 3 granddaughters
Jaciadon*, Joedon’s next-oldest half-sister, does not appear by name, 1 son, 1 daughter, 2 grandsons, 2 granddaughters
Kaldon*, Joedon’s oldest younger brother, 5, 7, 14, 2 daughters, 2 sons
Tattold, Kaldon’s mind-mate, 5
Jondon*, Joedon’s next younger brother, does not appear by name, 2 sons, 1 daughter
Kordon*, Joedon’s youngest brother, does not appear by name, 1 son, 1 daughter
Joeladon (Joela)*, Joedon’s youngest sister, 5, 6, 18, 19, 20, 1 son, 2 daughters
Bajjett, Joela’s mind-mate, 5
Uncle Johndon, 12, 19, 21, fym dead, 4 sons, 1 daughter, 10 grandsons, 4 granddaughters
Aunt Seniadon, does not appear by name, hom dead, 3 sons, 3 daughters, 6 grandsons, 10 grandaughters
Uncle Mordon, 13, fym and 5 daughters, 3 sons, 12 grandsons, 5 granddaughters
Uncle Murdon*, does not appear by name, fym and 3 sons, 2 daughters, 9 grandsons, 3 granddaughters
Aunt Joanadon, does not appear by name, hom, 2 sons, 3 daughters, 4 grandsons, 3 granddaughters
Uncle Sendon*, does not appear by name, fym, 2 sons, 3 daughters, 6 grandsons, 5 granddaughters
Aunt Sariadon, does not appear by name, hom, 3 sons, 0 daughters, 5 grandsons, 1 granddaughter
Cousin Sardon, Joedon’s older cousin, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Paddyon, Sardon’s mind-mate, 1, 6, 17
Those don starred above lived in the plains compound with Joedon and Koroladon.
Other Don
Note: All these don have reeth-mates although they are not named in this novella. These don are heads of their families unless otherwise described.
Bardon, 2, 8, 12, 14, 15, 19
Beldon, 17
Cobdon, 10, 11
Elmdon, Emmadon’s Father, 21
Elsdon, Emmadon’s Grandfather, 21
Furdon, 10, 11, 13, 17, 19
Gardon, 18
Goldon, 17
Hindon, 19,20
Iladon, 10
Jerdon, 10, 17
Nandon, 19, 20
Neldon,13
Oredon, 17
Pildon, 12
Raedon, 17
Teldon, 17
Veldon, 17
Vuddon, 7, 13, 17, 19, 21
Wofdon, 11, 15, 17, 22
Xagdon, 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Xegdon, Xagdon’s oldest son, 6
Xendon, Xagdon’s youngest son, 3, 19, 20
Ylsdon, 5, 6
Other Reeth
Balliard, Xagdon’s mind-mate, 3, 19
Cellion, Xegdon’s mind-mate, 17
Lillume, Head of Lill Herd, 21, 22
Memmalb, Official Reeth Recorder, 6
Humans
Adam, Samuel Jefferson’s friend and helper, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11
Bill Shoeman, Leader in Vuddonville, 7, 13
Dr. Jeremy Tucker, a physician in Johnstown, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 23
Frank, Pete Mason’s oldest son, killed in Franktown, 10, 11
Gemma, Medical Officer of the Far Seeker, 2
Giovanni Mazza, bridge engineer, 7
Hank, a boy of Samsville, 16
Jackson, a boy from Samsville, Jol’s best friend when he was young, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
Jemima, Samuel Jefferson’s wife, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 16
John Pith, Mayor of Johnstown, 12
Jonathan, Dr. Tucker’s son, 18
Jules Gardiner, Mayor of Julesburg, 17
Mama June, Jemima’s mother, 3, 5, 6
Mayor Hooper, mayor of suburb of Johnstown, 12
Mr. Snyder, Paul’s father, 12, 13
Mrs. Snyder, Paul’s mother, 12, 13
Paul, Jackson’s cousin, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23
Perkins, a man of Johnstown, 12
Peter Mason, First Mate of the Far Seeker, 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 15, 20
Sammy (Sam Jr.), Samuel Jefferson’s son, 7, 14, 15, 16
Samuel Jefferson, Pilot/Captain of the Far Seeker, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16
The Bowler Brothers, bullies in Johnstown, 12
The Supreme Don Lineage
Joedon, 0-70, 70 total years, Fym Karaladon
Joedon II, 70-123, 53 total years, Fym Marlodon
Joedon III, 123-164, 41 total years, Fym Lesadon
Joedon IV, 164-210, 46 total years, Fym Tessadon
Joedon V, 210-227, 17 total years, Fym Jenedon
Joedon VI, 227-282, 55 total years, Fym Caridon
Joedon VII, 282-336, 54 total years, Fym, Luludon
Joedon VIII, 336-391, 55 total years, Fym Darlodon
Joedon IX, 391-413, 22 total years, Fym Casiadon
Joedon X, 413-470, 57 total years, Fym Elsadon, Sariadon
Joedon XI, 470-522, 52 total years, Fym Renedon
Joedon XII, 522-561, 39 total years, Fym Tinadon
Joedon XIII, 561-610, 49 total years, Fym Anadon
Joedon XIV, 610-644, 34 total years, Fym Geadon
Joedon XV, 644-662, 18 total years, Fym Sierado
n
Joedon XVI, 662-728, 66 total years, Fym Moiradon, Sentidon
Joedon XVII, 728-803, 75 total years, Fym Annadon, Kaliadon
Joedon XVIII, 803-880, 77 total years, Fym Koroladon
Joedon XIX, 881-951, 70 total years, Fym Emmadon
Joedon XX, 952-1016, 64 total years, Fym Caradon
Joedon XXI, 1017-1078, 61 total years, Fym Jemmadon
Joedon XXII, 1079-1146, 67 total years, Terredon
Joedon XXIII, 1147-1186, 39 total years, Soreladon
Joedon XXIV, 1187-?, Fym Soer Jaym of Pith
To enjoy more of the Lillith Chronicles
Go to https://carolbuhler.com
Suggested Reading Order
The Uninvited
Lillith
Emergence
Encounters
Revelations
Gladys
Farr
Femm of the Amalgamation
Reeth: Volume 1—YON
Reeth: Volume 2—MAR
Dear Father, Dear Mother
Reeth: Volume 3—LILLIOD, CALEB AND DOC
Lareina
Sneak Peek
The first three chapters of the next in series, novella Lillith follow.
This story starts in Gareeth year 1171.
LILLITH
Copyright © by Carol Buhler, 2016
Intarsia by Carmella Yates
Cover by Les Petersen
A Novella of the Lillith Chronicles
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events are products of the author's imagination and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced for any purpose without the express written permission from the author.
